Isaac p



[ISAAC ``r."r1`c`i1, on new YORK, N. Y.

specificati@ formingpart 'of Letters patent Ne. "ai agace, dated nprm, i871..

To all whom it may concern.- l p Be it known that I, ISAAC P. TICE, of the city, county, and State` of New Yor'kfh'ave invented a new and I mpr'oved "WaterfMeter 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompany ing drawing, making a part of this specilcation, in which- Figure l is a plan sectional view of my invention; Fig. 2, a side view of 4the same, the side plate of one of the valve-chambers being detached 5 Figs. 3 and 4,7internal views of the two valve-chambers.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several gures.

rlhis invention relates toa new and improved water-meter` for measuring and recording the volume of water that passes into buildings for the 'purpose of supplying the same, and enabling a correct assessment being made on the -amount consumed.

The invention is one of that class in which cylindersv with pistons working therein are employed as measures of capacity, and has for occurs with other machines of the same class.

A A represent two cylinders, and B B pis tons working therein, 0 C being the pistonrods. D D are two valve-chambers, and E E the valves. (See more particularly Fig. l.) The valve-chambers adjoin Athe cylinders at opposite ends ofthe same. G is the induction, and H the outlet or eduction, pipe, the former, G, being divaricated or branched, so that both cylinders may be supplied from one and the same inlet-pipe. The' outlet or eduction pipe H communicates with the valvechambers, -as shown at a a', Fig. 2. The valve `E in the chamber D is what may be termed a double D valve, (shown clearly in Fig. 1,) and is operated by the piston-rod which works into said chamber. rlhe valve E of the other chamber, D', is operated similarly, but is an ordinary single slide-valve, as shown in Figi. In each valve-chamber there is whatI term a resisting mechanism,77 to retard the -movement of the valves atcertain points, for the purpose hereinafter set forth. rEhe means employed for effectmg ttislresniris frieti0n,`feaasea tytheprsto# rods icoming inlcontact with'pivoted arms atof the water from the valvechamber D, containing the double D-valve E, through the port 0, into the cylinder. The piston-rod of the head B' has moved the single valve E', so that water is taken in to the cylinderA through the port o. Upon the completion of the stroke of the piston- B the double valve E will be moved in thedirection of its stroke, when the opposite port will be open, and the piston-head B will resume its motion.

The great defect in piston-ineters heretofore has been found to be in the uncertainty of the length of stroke when delivering variable quantities of water. Thecause of this difficulty lies in the movement of the valves over the ports. If a very small stream is passing through themeter, a slight opening of the valves is sufficient to allow the water to pass through the meter without either piston making a complete stroke. The error may be to the extent of the width of the ports nearly. To obviate this difticulty I apply resistance to the movement of the pistons at such points ofthe stroke as to allow one piston tol be retarded while the other moves in its normal condition. For instance, one piston is retarded in its stroke or movement both ways at the middle of its stroke or movement, while the other meets with resistance at a point, say, one-fourth of the distance from the ends ofthe stroke. Suppose -thev piston B to have nearly completedits stroke, the piston B meets with resistance at the center ofits stroke. Normally, the pistons are in equilibrium; but the water makes an outlet in the direction of least resistance, and the piston B being free Vto move when the piston B is not, a complete stroke is insured, and the desired ei'ect produced at the end of each stroke, by the mechanism shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Both of the retarding or resisting mechanisms-that is to say, those for both cylinders-. are shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the parts being indicated by similar letters.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The arrangement of two cylinders, A A', and two independent or separate valve-chests, D D', connected with a common inlet-pipe, Gr, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the inlet and outlet pipesvG H, valve-chambers D D', and the cylinders A A', substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination of the two cylinders A A', valve chests or chambers D D', and the single and double valves E E', substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The arrangement of the valves E E', pis'- ton-rods G C', and the in dependent valve chests or chambers D D', substantially as shown land described.

5. The 'resistin g mechanism applied to a water-meter, in the manner substantially as shown and described, so as to compel the pistons to make complete or entire strokes at all times.

6. The arrangement of the cylinders A A' and the valve chests or chambers D D' in such a manner that the piston-rod of one cylinder will pass or work directly into the valve-chamber of the other cylinder, as set forth.

Y ISAAC P. TICE. Witnesses I EDM. F. BROWN, l J AMESv S. GRINNELL. 

